Signal apparatus for motor-vehicles.



F. L. SAWYER.

SIGNAL APPARATUS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

Patented Sept. 12,1916.

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SIGNAL APPARATUS FOR mom VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26. 19l-1-. L 1 9 M63 Patented Sept. 12,1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

FRANK I4. SAWYER, 0F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

SIGNAL APPARATUS FOR MOTOB-VEI-HGLES.

icence.

Specification (if-Letters Patent.

Patented sept. 12, 159165.,

Application filed May 26, 1914:. Serial No. 841,157.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK L. Snwrnn,

citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signal Apparatus for Motor-Va hicles, of which the following is a specification.

. This invention relates to signal apparatus foe motor vehicles and has for'its object to provide a cautionary signal at the rear of a vehicle adapted to be displayed by the operation of a special lever for that purpose, or it may be set automatically by the mechanism employed for setting the brakes its purpose being to notify vehicles approachmg from the rear, that he is about 'to slow down or stop and the one behind must govern himself accordingly.

' A further object of the invention is to rovide means for illuminating the signal y night to forcibly call the attention of the following vehicle thereto and to also provide means whereby the lamp may be automatically lighted when the means for display ing the signal is-operated.

Some districts have laws compelling drivers of vehicles to signal to following vehicles, by throwing out ofthe hand, as a warning that they are about to slow down or to turn to one side, but in some cases it is impractical for the driver to do this, as at that time both hands are busily engaged in the management of his machine, then again after dark, a signal of this character could not be seen, rendering traffic in crowded districts dangerous. To obviate this difiiculty I have provided a device that is operated automatically by the application of the brakes, for displaying an illuminated cautionary signal at the rear of the vehicle which is sure to be operated when the vehicle slows down and the approaching vehicle properly notified by a signal he cannot fail to observe.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain new and novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure- 1 is a plan view illustrating the outline of the vehicle body ill *(lOttGd lines and my 1mproved signal displaying device connected thereto. Fig. is a side elevation of my improved signal operating mechanism as applied to a vehicle, the body portion being lndlcated 1n dotted lines. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the hand mechanism for operating the signal also showing the connection between this hand mechanism and the emergency brake lever. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the foot brake operating lever showing the connection thereto, whereby e the movement of this foot lever may also operate. the mechanism for displaying the signal. Fig. 5- is a side elevation showing the signal casing attached to-the rear of the automobile body and showing a portion of the actuating mechanism connected thereto, also showing the angles of the rays of light for indirectly illuminating the number plate located below or to the side of the signal casing. Fig. 6- is a view from the rear of the machine showing the signal casing and the red bulls-eye used as a danger signal, which is also illuminated from the light within the casing. Fig. 7- is a view from the rear of the machine showing the movable portion of the; casing as raised to expose the cautionary signal. Fig. 8- is a side elevation of the signal casing showing the connection to the moving portion of the casing whereby the same is operated to be moved to open or closed position.

- Referring to the drawings 10 designates 'bulls-eye through which the light from within shines to serve as a danger signal at night. A plate 16 is mounted in the fixed portion of the casing, which is preferably of a red color and has located thereon the wo'rdStopin such a position that'when the movable portion of the casing is raised this cautionary signal is exposed. fixed portion of this casing I mount a suitable source of illumination preferably one or more electric lamps 17, which may be lighted in the usual way, or by special mechanism hereinafter described. In order to control the action. of this signal device so as to assure its positive operation at the time when required, I have provided a In the 4 transverse shaft 18 mountecknear the forserves to rotate the shaft and through connections above described retain the movable portion of the casing normally in closed tor of the car I position. In order that this shaft may be readily and easily controlled by the operahave provided three distinct devices by which the shaft may be rod 29 to thensual brakes, not

signal mechanism.

operated, and by each deyice independent of the others to expose the cautionary signal. One of these connecting devices is the ordinary foot brake pedal 26 which is connected through the connector 27, bell-crank 28 and foot lever is also shown as being connected to the shaft 18 through the spindle 30, tubular member 31 and arm 32, whereby the downward movement of the outer end of this foot lever in addition to operating the brakes also serves to, set the cautionary signal. In order to permit the signal shaft 18 to be'operated independently of this foot lever, I have provided a tube .31 in which the pin is mounted to slide freely, whereby the rotation of the shaft 18 would move the arm 32 and tube 31 downward Without movement of the foot lever. A spring 33 on the lower end of this pin serves asa cushion to yieldably engage and operate the In some cases when the emergency brake is applied without operating the foot brake, it is desirable that this brake should also be arranged to set the cautionary signal, therefore, I have arranged that thelever- 34 which is pivoted at 35 and connected in the usual waythrough connector 36 to the emergency brakes, not shown, may also be connected to operate the shaft 18 through the arm 37, tu bular member 38, the central spindle 39, which spindle is notched at. 40 to engage the pin 41 at the lower end of the lever'34. When it is desired to operate this lever without'actuating the signal shaft 18, the latch, 42 is pressed, thereby raising through the rod 43 the notched end of the rod 39 above the pin 41, whereby this lever may be operated to set the brakes without operating the signal. Then again it is found advisable to permit the signal shaft 18 to be rotated to set the signals without effecting the-connection with this emergency brake lever. To accomplish this the spindle is provided with an extending end portion 45, whereby it is adapted to slide back and forth on the pin 41 and permit the free movement of the shaft 18 independent of the -lever 34. The

shown. This. Y

a 44 in the tube 38 is for the purpose ment of the lever 34. I have now described the action of both of the brake operating devices upon the shaft 18, but in some cases it is found advisable to be able to operate this signal mechanism without operating either of the brakes, therefore, I have provided a se mate and independent hand. operated lev r 46-see Figs. 2 and 8-which is connected by the arm 47 tubular member 48, connector 49, arm 50 and link 51' to this operating handle 46, whereby'the upward movement of said handle causes the hen d 52 of the' connector 49 to engage the end of the tube 48 and so rotate the shaft 18 to expose the signal, It will be noted by the construction above described that this hand operated lever 46 may be moved to operate the shaft entirely independent of the two brake mechanisms either the foot brake or the emergency brake may be set and operate the signal independent of the movement of the hand lever 46.

In some cases it is found advisable to prov vide an electric circuit for the signal lamp and to mechanism to automatically light this lamp when the cautionary signal is displayed. To accomplish this I have provided a pair of contact blocks 53 in the lamp circuit and a switch block on the longitudinally moving c rod 20, whereby when said rod is moved to set the cautionary signalthe block 54 bridges the contacts 53 and crmpletes the circuit to light the lamp.

In some cases it is desired to illuminate the registry number plate by the light in the casing. To do this, this plate may be securedbelow the casing and the light reflected thereonto by first passing through the plate 16, and redirected from the rear end of the casing upon the face of the plate 55 located below, or in some cases, one end of the casing may be provided with a light provide means on the signal setting directing aperture as at 5(isee Fig. 8-

and the plate in that case would be to one side of the casing, whereby the light would pass transversely onto the plate. A second glasscovered aperture 57 in the movable portioncof the casing may also be pro Vided to register with the first aperture 56 when the movable portion is thrown back to expose the cautionary signal.

I claim:

1. A signal apparatus for motor vehicles,

comprising-a signal mounted on the rear of placed racemes engaging said arm to disengage the latter from said brake lever, whereby said emergency brake levermay be operated withoutaifecting said signal. i

. 2. A ignal apparatus for motor vehicles,

"interposedbetween said arm and said sleeve,

and a latch mechanism carried by the brake gleverland engaging said arm to disengage the latter from the brake lever, whereby said emergency brake lever may be oper- :.,-ated-;fwithput afiectihg said signal.

' 3,61% -.signal apparatus for vehicles comprising'a signal mounted on the rear of the vehicle, a rock. shaft mounted on the for! ward end of said vehicle, connections between said rock shaft and signal for operating the latter, a handle, connections between said handle and rock shaft for operating said rock shaft to display said signal, a brake pedal having a depending spindle, a sleeve connected with said rock shaft and telescoping with said spindle, and a spring interposed between said spindle and said sleeve.

4. A signal apparatus for motor vehicles, comprising a signal mounted on the rear thereof, a rock shaft mounted on the forward end of said vehicle, connections between said rock shaft and signal for operating the latter, a handle, a connector attached thereto, a sleeve attached to said rock shaft and telescoping with said connector, means interposed between said connector and said sleeve for effecting movement of the sleeve to operate the rock shaft to display said signal, an emergency brake lever, connections between said brake lever and said rock shaft for operating said rock shaft topics ofthis patent may be obtained for to display said signal, and means disposed in the connectionbetween said brake lever and said rock shaft to prevent the operation of said brake lever when said rock shaft is operated from said handle.

5. signal apparatusfor motor vehicles, comprising a signal mounted on the rear of a vehicle, a rock shaft mounted on the for ward end of said vehicle, connections betweensaid rock shaft and signal for operating the latter, a handle, a connector attached thereto, a sleeve attached to said rock shaft and "telescoping with said connector,

means interposed between said connector and said sleeve for effecting movement of the sleeve to operate the rock shaft to display said signal, an emergency brake lever, an arm connected with said rock shaft and having a lost-motion connection with said brake lever, and a latch mechanism carried by said brake lever and engaging said arm to disengage the latter from said brake lever,

whereby said emergency brake lever may be operated without affecting said signal.

6. A signal apparatus for motor vehicles, comprising a signal mounted on the rear of a vehicle, a rock shaft mounted on the forward end of saidvehicjle, connections between said rock shaft and signal for operatingthe latter, a handle, connections between said handle and said rock shaft for operating the latter to display said. signal, an emergency brake lever provided with an abutment pin, an arm slidably engaging said abutment pin, said arm having a shoulder cooperating with said pin, means for connecting said arm with said rock shaft and a latch mechanism carried by the brake lever and engaging said arm to disengage said shoulder and said abutment pin, whereby the emergency brake'lever may be operated without affecting the signal.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK L. SAlVYER.

. Witnesses:

HOWARD E. BARLOW, A. F. MACREADY.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0." 

